Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 

This verse demonstrates the change of heart David had after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about his affair with Bathsheba and for the murder of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11-12). After confessing his sins, David vows to guide others to repentance and back to God. 

Not only do we see the changed David who is freed from the bloodguilt and extremely serious sins, but we see his desire to help others. He wants others to experience the renewed joy and forgiveness that he has received from the Lord. He did not let his failures define him. Instead, he used them as the basis for serving others and helping them to find reconciliation and forgiveness from God.

Our testimonies hold great power (Revelation 12:11). We can hold our experience close to ourselves and refuse to share it with others or we can let God use it as a tool for reaching souls. God can use our personal experiences to help them see they are not alone in their sinful ways and that there is a way out. 

This psalm is a personal prayer of David to God. It is him crying out to the Lord and repenting of his sins. He pleads to God to give him a clean heart and a renewed spirit. And he asks God not to banish him but to restore the joy of salvation. 

It is after he receives mercy and grace from God that he vows to teach others. He made the vow that his mouth and tongue would be used to sing of God’s righteousness and goodness. He wanted his personal experience to be the catalyst to helping others seek God and repent of their own sins. 

What about you? Do you hold your personal experiences close to your heart and hide them from others? Or do you use your transgressions as the means to helping people find forgiveness themselves? Many people try to hide their past sins, ashamed of what they have done. But as we already said, there is power in our personal stories and God can use them to help others repent and find forgiveness. 

Don’t hide your story. Be open to allowing God to use you. Let Him work in your heart and through you to touch the lives of others and help transform them. And His peace and joy will fill you, overflowing from deep within, extending out to others. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ 

For a lot of people, God is an uncaring, mean judge who takes no interest in the lives of people struggling to survive. But nothing is further from the truth. Today’s verse is a great example of just how much He cares for us. Our God does love us, even those people who are caught up in lives of sin and shame. And He wants what is best for us. 

God doesn’t want anyone to die, good or bad. He wants them to cease doing the bad things in their lives and instead repent and turn to Him. He told us in this verse just how He feels about the death of those who are wicked. He takes no pleasure in their deaths at all because He doesn’t want any to perish, but instead, for all to come to know Him and be saved. 

He made a vow to the Israelites, spoken through the prophet Ezekiel. He said “As surely as I live…” This was an undisputed fact for the Israelites. They knew God existed and for Him to make a vow, it was serious business. And God is always faithful, always following through with what He said He would do. In this case, He vowed that He took no pleasure in the punishing or death of the wicked and sin filled people. He wanted them to repent, to turn from their ways, and to live. 

He even said, “Turn! Turn…” The emphasis on the word turn, spoken twice, showed the Israelites that He was giving them the opportunity to change their behavior and transform their lives. This clearly demonstrated that He is a merciful God, giving grace when it is not deserved. Even when we feel weighed down by our mistakes, He offers us another chance. He extends His hand and pulls us back up, setting our feet on the ground once more.

He is truly a patient, waiting God who wants none to perish, but all to come to be redeemed and made righteous once again (2 Peter 3:8-9). Despite His grace and mercy and His long standing patience, we must also remember that He is a just God. He will judge people accordingly. If we are living in sin, He will bring judgement to us and it will not be pleasant. 

Turn from your sin today. Accept His grace and mercy and let your life be transformed and let yourself be made righteous. Don’t wait. There is no telling when He will return, when He will judge, or how long it might be in the meantime. Repent of your sins and seek His forgiveness. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

In today’s verse there is no mention of repentance or repenting but the core message is based upon that action. If we are to confess our sins and be purified, we must first turn from the wrongful behavior and seek Him and His ways. Then we have the promise that He is just and will forgive us.

The Apostle John wrote his letter to believers who were facing false teachers. These false teachers claimed they were sin free. But we know from Paul that no one is sin free for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We inherited our sinful nature from Adam and Eve and no matter how hard we try we will never be totally sin free. 

Lucky for us, God loves us despite that. He provided a way to escape the punishment of sin and the consequences that our actions would result in. He gave His Son, perfect and blameless, the only one to ever be sin free, as a sacrifice for our sin. He died on the cross and was raised again to satisfy the requirement of the law for the remission of sin. And we are made righteous because of Him.

This verse is not about salvation though. It is about restoring fellowship with God. If we claim we have fellowship with Him but are living a life of hidden sin or denying our sinful nature then that fellowship is disrupted. Instead, we are walking in darkness and lying against the truth (1 John 1:6; 1 John 1:8). 

The only way for us to restore fellowship with Him is to repent and turn back to Him once more. We must confess our sins in order to be forgiven. The Greek word for confess is homologeo and literally means to say the same thing or to agree with God about our sin. We don’t make excuses or try to hide it, instead, seeking His ways and His will for our lives. 

And when we repent and change our behavior, He forgives us. He gives us grace and mercy that we don’t deserve. The penalty for our sin is paid in full thanks to the death of Jesus on the cross. When we acknowledge our sin and ask for forgiveness, the barrier that prevented us from fellowship with Him is removed and we have our relationship restored. 

Don’t let your sin come between you and God. Confess, repent, and seek Him once more. He is waiting and faithful, ready to embrace you just like the father of the prodigal son did. He will restore fellowship with you and you will be made righteous and holy. But it all begins with repentance. What are you waiting for?

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 

This is one of my favorite verses on God’s love and patience. There is nothing more revealing of His nature than the fact that He is patient with us because He doesn’t want a single soul to perish but wants EVERYONE to repent and be saved. If you have followed my writing for any length of time, you have seen me reference this verse numerous times. 

The Apostle Peter wrote this verse amidst a portion of writing that addressed mockers, false teachers, and scoffers who argued that Jesus was not coming back because history was continuing unchanged. Peter reminded his readers that it was God who had judged the ancient world through the Flood which demonstrated the fact that God DOES intervene with history when there is a need. And Scripture tells us that the world is destined for destruction by fire in the future. The only way to avoid that end ourselves is to seek Him, repent, and turn to Him as Lord of our lives.

He is not a God who sits outside of things and ignores all that is going on. He is a God with a plan, one that was put in motion when man first chose to sin by eating of the Tree of Knowledge, a plan that has been playing out over time and culminates with His Son returning to earth in triumph.

The key to remember is that God works on a different time table than we do. He exists outside of time as we know it, which our minds cannot comprehend. Scripture tells us that to Him a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day, meaning time is nothing to Him because He sees everything - beginning, middle, and end. And because of this view, He can wait patiently for repentance. What we perceive as delay or Him being slow to respond is actually Him being exactly who He is - a patient, loving Father who wants none to perish.

Knowing that our world is destined for destruction by fire, believers must live holy, Godly lives as we wait for the new heaven and earth. But more importantly, we should be actively sharing the Gospel with others, helping them to repent and turn to God, too. Christ’s return will arrive unexpectedly. We don’t know when it will happen. 

So while we await that time, we must be prepared which means getting right with God and helping others do the same. What can you do today to set your heart right? And who can you share the Gospel with today? 

Time is running out and there are millions who don’t yet know Him, who are living lives of sin, prisoners to their worldly practices. God is patiently waiting for all to repent but how can they repent if they are not aware of their need for Him? Let God use you today to help grow His kingdom and save a soul.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Revelation 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 

Today’s verse is one that should make us pause and consider our lives and how we are living them. It is a warning from Jesus to a spiritually complacent church - a church that looks right on the outside but is spiritually dead on the inside. He commands them to remember the Gospel they heard in the beginning and to remember what they felt, what they learned, and to seek that again in repentance. And not doing so will bring consequences.

The church that was being warned in today’s verse is in the city of Sardish. It was a wealthy trade center that was secure and boasted proudly of their city. But they were prone to sudden attacks that came when they grew overconfident and apathetic. It is this historical overview that Jesus used to mirror the spiritual blindness of the church there. 

What about you? How is your heart? Are you growing apathetic in your spiritual walk? Are you overconfident in your beliefs that you are secure and living in God’s will? It is important that we pause and evaluate our hearts periodically and seek God’s guidance and direction anew.

Do you remember the excitement you felt when you first became a believer? The joy and peace that filled your heart, the eagerness to know more, the desire to learn and grow… It is easy for us to lose sight of that, to grow complacent and take grace for granted. And the more complacent we grow, the harder it is to find that excitement again. 

But it is not impossible.

And Jesus warns us that we need to repent when we find ourselves in a state of spiritual decline and stagnation and to seek Him once again, to turn to the Gospel that brought us joy in the beginning. We must make the choice to turn from spiritual apathy and to align ourselves with God once again. 

Failing to repent and turn back to God can bring consequences. Jesus warned the church of Sardis that He would come like a thief in the night. That is not a reference to His second coming, of His return to earth or the Rapture, though the wording is similar to other passages found in Scripture. Instead, it is a warning that He will come swiftly and unexpectedly to discipline the spiritually sleeping believers. Judgement and discipline come when we least expect it, so it is better to get right with Him now and change those patterns in our lives. 

This verse serves as a wake-up call to anyone who has grown overconfident and overly comfortable. It is time to evaluate our internal reality and our heart posture and determine if it is in the right place. Just because we look good on the outside doesn’t mean we are right on the inside. External reputations and appearances don’t matter when it comes to obedience and surrender. Instead, it is our heart that matters and we need to give it to Him fresh and new each day, choosing to align our lives with His will and not our own. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

2 Timothy 2:25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…

Today’s verse comes from the Apostle Paul as he advised young Timothy on how to respond to people who opposed him and his leadership in the church. It was meant to guide him in correcting opponents with gentleness and humility. It is from a larger portion of pastoral encouragement that addressed issues like handling false teachers, conflict, and spiritual problems. But just because it was addressed to church leadership does not mean it has no place in our own lives. There is still much we can learn from this verse that applies to our own lives.

Paul told Timothy to avoid the ignorant controversial things that lead to arguing and disagreement with members in his church. It is something we should remember, too, when interacting with fellow believers. It is pointless to enter into quarrels with people over foolishness or petty points of difference. Instead, we should be kind, patient with others, and be willing to be taught as well as to teach others. 

Rather than winning arguments, correction should be done to help others realize the error of their ways and to escape the snares of the enemy. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct both us and the opposing side. It is not our job to convict them, but it IS our job to help lead them to the truth and then leave it in His hands to do the rest. 

True change and repentance are gifts that God grants to each of us. We don’t need to try to force results or manipulate things to make people change. Instead, we help guide them to the Lord Who will work in their hearts and bring about true repentance and life transformation. We do all of this with gentleness, humility, and above all, with love. 

Even within the Church, we will face differences of opinions and interpretation. That is why we have so many different denominations within the Body of Christ. People have differing opinions about how the Bible should be interpreted. But differences do not mean division. Differences just mean we agree to disagree and are trusting the Spirit to guide us to the truth while we remain respectful and loving towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Let us embrace an attitude of love and grace towards one another. Seek God and His will for your life and trust that He will guide those who stand in opposition to you to true repentance and understanding. And be willing to be led, yourself. It might be you that needs the correction as you stand in opposition to others. Be cognizant of that possibility and be open to God’s guiding hand as you seek His truth and will. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Job 42:6 “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” 

Today’s verse takes us into the book of Job where we see him having a complete turn around, change of heart after having encountered God on a personal level. Up to this point, Job had only spoken of God from secondhand knowledge, while his friends sat judging him and saying his losses and suffering were due to his pride and sin. He had lost everything - his children, his wealth, his health, all but his wife who also criticized him and told him to just die already. Yet, through it all he pleaded his innocence.

What prompted this total change in demeanor from Job that caused him to say he despised himself and repented in dust and ashes? 

He had experienced an intense and personal encounter with God. God spoke to him directly out of a whirlwind (Job 38-41), posing questions to Job that truly transformed his life. He demonstrated His absolute power and the limits of human wisdom with His response. And Job surrendered his demands for answers and humbled himself completely before God. He realized that his beliefs and judgements about God and His justice were inconsequential and insignificant. He said, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” And it shook him to his core.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the same mindset as Job, questioning the justice in what we are experiencing. We become critical and judgemental instead of accepting God’s hand at work in our lives. We respond with our limited, worldly views. And it is not the right response to have. We should trust Him instead of complaining, trusting that He has our best interest in mind and a plan for our lives. Yet, we sit and whine and complain about how unfair the circumstances are. 

Do we really need a Job-like experience to change our hearts? Do we need to experience God in a personal encounter and hear Him speak to us from the storm? 

Or can we trust that He is in control and at work in our lives?

Learn from Job. He sat in ashes and dust, in physical grief and despair. He met God in a personal, extraordinary way and he was changed as a result. He retracted all of his defiant arguments. He realized he was nothing before such an amazing, all powerful Creator. And his response came not as a confession of sin but as awe at His majesty and sovereignty as he repented before Him. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Can you imagine the rejoicing in heaven that happens when sinners repent? Jesus spoke of this great joy in heaven at the change of heart of one who has been living in sin and finally repents. His statement can be found in the book of Luke where we see Him conversing once more with the judgemental Pharisees. We know the story as the Parable of the Lost Sheep.

Once again the religious leaders are being critical as they judge Him for eating with social outcasts. His response is given in the form of a parable where He explains that God rejoices deeply when a lost soul repents and is turned to Him. We see the joy of our Father while the Pharisees stood before Him with their self-righteous attitudes, looking down on Him and the tax collectors and sinners He ate with.

The parable is simple. A shepherd leaves 99 sheep behind knowing they are safe and goes to find the one stray that has wandered away. Once the shepherd has found the lost sheep he has a massive party to celebrate the one lost sheep having been found.

This story mirrors our own Shepherd. He actively pursues the lost and then rejoices and celebrates with all of heaven when that soul repents. The heavens erupt in praise and rejoicing over just one, single soul. Imagine how much more there would be if more lives were changed and people came to real, heartfelt repentance?

But what of the other 99, the ones who are righteous? Is there no celebration of their lives or choices?

We are all sinners and we make poor choices daily. None of us is truly righteous. We all fall short. But when we turn from sin, repent and seek God’s forgiveness the heavens rejoice.

The 99 righteous in the story likely referred to the religious leaders who assumed they were morally correct already and did not need to repent. They falsely believed they were living a proper, righteous life and would be rewarded for it. They did not see their own sin and their need for repentance.

Have you become like the Pharisees, blind to your own sin? There is no justification for doing what is contrary to God’s will. Confess your sins before Him, ask for forgiveness, and then make the change necessary to live a life for God.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

The words of today’s verse were spoken by John the Baptist. They came right after he called the religious leaders a brood of vipers. His ministry was always focused on true repentance from people as he prepared the way for Jesus. But the religious leaders relied on their heritage rather than heart change. And John called them out for it.

John’s instructions were simple - product fruit while being repentant. But what exactly does this mean?

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to the river not to confess and be changed, but to see what was going on and possibly to pass judgement. They were not there for any reason other than curiosity. They assumed that the fact they were descended from Abraham granted them favor before God. And John was actively preaching that people needed to turn back to God as the kingdom of heaven approached. Salvation was not inherited from their ancestors or lineage.

Real inner repentance will produce evidence that others can see. Someone who is living a life of sin will have a visible change in their life when they repent and turn to God. You will see drug addicts seek help to get clean, alcoholics seek help with addiction, promiscuous people stopping the sexual behaviors, liars confessing and making amends, and so on. People they hung out with before changing complain that they are not who they used to be, that they are “Jesus freaks” or religious nuts because they don’t like the changes they see in them. There is evidence that their lives have changed and they are living for God.

John continued with his warning after this verse. He went on to say that trees that do not produce good fruit get cut down and thrown into the fire. Empty religious titles and positions mean nothing. They do not guarantee anything. There is no value in them.

Genuine transformation only comes when a person repents and turns back to God. Repentance is a complete turn around, a u-turn. It is only when we come to Him broken and humbled that we find grace and mercy.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. 

Today we venture into the book of Joel to see what God has to teach us about repentance. The prophet Joel urged the people of Judah to turn back to God with true sorrow rather than in empty outward rituals. He pointed out God’s merciful and forgiving nature in the verse. God wants true change from us, honest sorrow over our sins, and He grants us His grace and mercy when we genuinely embrace repentance.

In ancient times, people would rend their garments or tear them to express their sadness or grief. This was a public act and demonstrated to others that they were upset. But Joel showed us that God said do not put on a show by tearing our clothes. Instead, He desires that we rend our hearts instead. This means we truly change our inner self and we break our pride and end sinful behaviors that are holding us away from Him. We are to turn away from doing wrong and turn back to a close relationship with Him.

God is full of grace and mercy. He is kind and He wants to forgive those who come back to Him. He does not rush to punish people. He gives them time to change. The Holy Spirit convicts us of the wrongs in our life and then the ball is in our court. Will we respond by rending our hearts and returning to Him? Or will we pretend things are going well and continue in sinful ways?

God does not want fake sorrow from us. He rejects the empty, outward ritualism of those who are trying to show off or pretend they are something they are not. He asks for a broken, humble, and sincere heart to come before Him. He is patient. He will wait for us. 

And He is also eager to hold back calamity and disaster from our lives when we do return to Him. Joel ends the verse telling us of this truth. God will hold back the judgement and wrath that we deserve. He reconciles us to Himself instead. 

Today take a few moments to let your inner self feel true grief over the sins in your life. Recognize the conviction the Spirit is bringing to you and choose to change. Turn back to God with everything you have, in true surrender and humility. And trust that God is kind, full of mercy, and slow to anger. Know that He loves you and forgives you when you repent with genuine sorrow.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 

No one wants to experience sorrow, whether good or bad. Sorrow is no fun and weighs us down. Today’s verse comes from a letter Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that made them deeply sad. But they did not let it bring them anger or bitterness. Instead, they used their pain to fix their behavior. 

In our verse, we see there are two types of sorrow that Paul talked about. One is Godly sorrow and the other is worldly sorrow. He showed them that each sorrow would lead to different outcomes. He wrote this to show believers that feeling sorrow about the sins in our life can be helpful but only if we recognize it for what it is and turn to God. 

First he mentioned Godly sorrow. This type of sadness leads to a change of heart and to salvation. It is a sadness felt deep within that we experience because our actions hurt others or worse, hurt God. But this sorrow can cause true repentance when we turn away from bad behavior and change our life. It results in forgiveness, healing, and salvation.

Then he spoke of worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow leads to spiritual ruin. Typically, this form of sadness is the fleshly response one has to things in their life. It is a response of anger, stress, or sadness over being caught, losing face, or experiencing negative consequences. It creates a shame that is toxic and fills one with self-pity rather than a desire to fix the wrongs. Worldly sorrow traps us in bitterness and causes spiritual harm. 

Usually we don’t like to think of sadness in our lives as being a good thing. We don’t like to feel sad or sorrowful and bottle up our feelings and shove them down deep inside. But this is not healthy. It does not allow us to heal the way God wants us to. Instead, it festers deep within and bubbles up and over when we least expect it, causing more harm in the end.

When you feel the sorrow of sin in your life, pray about it. Think about it. Evaluate whether it is a sorrow that leads you to life change or one that is holding you back spiritually. Confess it. Repent and turn away from it and turn to God. Let Him begin healing you and bring about transformation in your life. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Luke 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

In today’s verse, we find Jesus having dinner with tax collectors and other societal outcasts. This is just after He had called Levi, who we know as Matthew, to be His disciple and Matthew hosts a large dinner in His honor. The religious leaders did not like this and openly criticized Jesus for eating with “sinners.” 

Jesus responded to the Pharisees with a comparison. He explained to them the purpose for Him coming using a medical analogy. He compared Himself to a doctor who goes to those who are broken and in need of healing and fixing. He points out to them that healthy people do not need a doctor. Only sick people need doctors.

He then went on to say He came to call sinners to repentance, not to call the righteous. My first assumption when reading this was that the righteous already know God, they are already living a Godly life and serving Him. They don’t need help seeing where they are sinning and how to change.

But then I learned something that made me stop and delete everything I had already written. The “righteous” that Jesus was referring to in this statement are not Godly believers living lives for Him. He was talking about the Pharisees. He was talking about the fact that they reject Him and their need for healing. They refuse to see their own sin. And because of that, they do not repent and have their lives transformed. He was challenging the religious elite when He said these words but they were too self-righteous to realize what He was saying or to see it in themselves. 

As believers, we must recognize that true repentance requires admitting we are at fault and making the choice to turn to God for a changed life. It means seeing when our thoughts, behaviors, or actions cross the line and become sin. Sin is easy to fall into. It is easy for us to slip up and find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be. And when we do, we need to act immediately to remedy the situation. We need to stop what we are doing and confess it to God then turn away from it and back to Him.

Yesterday we asked God to help us examine our hearts to identify the sins in our lives. Today, let’s continue to explore our actions and behaviors. Identify simply one thing that you can repent of and be freed from. We all have sin in our lives. The question is are we honest enough to admit it and make an effort to change?  

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 

We begin a new month of devotions focusing on repentance. But before we can dig into the goodness of this verse, let’s first define what repentance is for the believer. In the Bible, repentance refers to the absolute, whole change of mind and heart that turns a person from sin and toward God. Think of it as a complete U-turn or about-face. It is a total change that encompasses more than just regret or feeling sorry. It results in the transformation of your life through obedience to God’s will. 

In today’s verse, the Greek word for repentance is metanoia. This is literally translated as a change of mind. In this verse, it describes the fundamental turning around, the reorienting of one’s mind and heart towards the will of God and His plan for our lives.

We are beginning this month’s look at repentance with the core message of salvation because we need to be sure that we have the correct heart posture before going into further study each day. It is more than just a change of heart that we are looking at here. We are also looking at faith because if we do not know Who we are turning to, there can’t be true repentance. There can only be conviction.

The truth of the matter is this - Jesus died for our sins, in our place, to give us eternal life. He bore our punishment for us, becoming the sacrifice needed to fulfill the requirement for remediation. Without Him, we would be hopelessly lost, floundering about in our attempts to make things right. But because He stepped in and bore our punishment for us, we are now free. We are made new, washed clean in the blood He shed, and are adopted into the family of God.

Our response to this is faith. We believe in our hearts that He died for our sins and rose again, defeating death, and we ask Him to be Lord of our lives. But faith is not the only thing that we need in our lives. We need to turn away from our sin, to stop living the life that was leading us to destruction prior. We need to start living a life that demonstrates our faith in Him and aligns with His purpose and His will for us. 

We must make a complete turn around, ceasing the things that were destructive and sinful and begin to live a life of faith, seeking and fulfilling His purpose for our lives. Our life is no longer governed by rebellion and self-seeking behavior. Instead, it becomes a life that focuses on others, loving and serving them as we share God’s grace with others. Our lives of change become our testimonies. We are able to help others turn from sin and develop faith in Jesus as we tell them about the changes in our own lives. 

Before we study any further this month let’s take some time in prayer. Examine your heart. Ask God to show you what in your life needs to change and then turn from it. Confess it to God, ask for forgiveness, and turn away. Turn to Him. And then trust and believe that you are forgiven. His grace is free to all who seek it. All we have to do is repent and turn to Him. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Romans 14:19  Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 

We conclude our month learning about peace with a reminder that everything we do should lead to peace and mutual edification. Paul was addressing a church community that was mixed and who were arguing over little things like eating meat or holy days. Some of the believers in the Roman church followed strict routines while others lived with total abandon. Paul was reminding them that their personal choices did not define who they were in God’s kingdom. 

As believers, we must make an active and intentional effort to build relationships within our community that are harmonious and help one another grow spiritually. Arguing over minor opinions and preferences was irrelevant in the greater scheme of things and did nothing to help their spiritual growth. 

We need to remember an important point - peace does not just happen. It doesn’t happen by accident. It requires us to put in effort. It requires us to work hard. We must exercise self-restraint. And over everything we need to choose love instead of trying to prove our point or win disagreements. Building up one another was more important than trying to be “right.”

Paul said let us do whatever leads to mutual edification, to make every effort. He was reminding us that we need to make every effort, not just some effort. And every action would be meant to strengthen another person in their faith. We have to set aside our personal rights and freedoms if those behaviors and actions hurt fellow believers. We are not to be the cause of division within our community. 

Today, and every day after, let’s make every effort to build one another up and strengthen the faith of others. Let’s set aside ourselves - our personal need for edification or gain, and put their needs ahead of our own. And in everything we do, strive for peace and balance within your home, your life, your community, and your church. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Ecclesiastes 3:8  …a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. 

You are probably familiar with this verse, whether you have taken time to read the book of Ecclesiastes or not. It was made famous by a song. The poem from which our verse is taken describes 14 changing seasons of human life. Through all of them we see that our God is sovereign over all seasons of life, both the good and the bad. Today’s verse is the final line of the poem. 

A few thoughts before we get into the actual words of this verse… The poem offsets human experiences such as birth and death, weeping and laughing, building and tearing down. It describes a fallen world and the life we live in it rather than providing us with moral instructions. It also reminds us that we, people, do not control these things. They are things that happen that are out of our control. It is how we respond to them that matters and where we place our hope and trust.

This final verse begins with contrasting love and hate. We can argue that love and hate, as well as any of the other seasons of life, all have an influence over the peace we feel in our lives. As believers we are called to love what is good and to turn away from that which destroys life or things that go against God’s will and purpose. Normally we would say that hate is contrary to God’s love and purpose, but in this case it points to the response we should have towards things like evil, injustice, sin, and falsehood. Those are things that are detestable to Him and we should hate them, instead embracing and promoting His goodness, grace, and love.

This leads us into the final comparison - war and peace. Peace is always the goal and the preferred human state, but we know that it is not always possible. We spoke of that just a few days back, how we should seek peace as far as we are able to. But we know that there is a time for war, too. In this case, as with hate, we do have times we are called to participate in war.

War represents the times when fighting is necessary. There are times in life when we will see that we need to take a stand for things, to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves, to combat the evil that is taking place around us, time we are to defend the innocent or to protect life itself. 

We are conditioned to believe that these things are negative and have no place in a Christian’s life. But there are seasons of life and there are circumstances that take place around us that require those things as the course of action for correction. So, do not shy away from hating that which is evil. Cling to what is good but be ready to hate what is contrary to God. Seek peace at all times but be prepared to take a stand when necessary. 

And through all of these contrasting seasons of human life, put your trust in Him. Let Him be your guiding hand, let Him walk the path before you, and do your part to serve Him.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. 

Today’s verse comes from a psalm that is classified as an evening psalm, written by King David,   and is meant to be prayed at the end of a troubled day. We all face troubled days and could use some peace as we close our ideas at night to try to rest. And today we see that is what King David was praying in this psalm.

It begins “In peace I will lie down and sleep…” In peace. David showed his deep trust in God despite the stress and political danger he was experiencing, despite the personal betrayals in his life. He knew that God would provide for Him and take care of him and he was able to close his eyes in peace.

Notice he said I WILL lie down and sleep. He didn’t say help me to lie down or I long to lie down. No, he said I will. He KNEW he would be able to sleep in peace and did not need to ask for it.

So often we go to bed and our minds replay all of the events of our day, all of the things we wish we could change, the things we wish we had done differently, and the struggles we still face. Peaceful sleep does not come to us instantly as it did for David. But we need to change that mindset. We need to trust fully that God will provide the peace we need to sleep, despite the chaos in our lives.

Why? Because “you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”  While others panic, dwell on their thoughts or look to the world around them for security, it is God alone who makes us dwell in safety and gives us peace. We must learn to let go of those fears, the anxiety, the stress, and trust in the Lord to protect us and provide for us. 

Try it tonight when you go to bed. Pray this psalm and believe it in your heart. Trust fully that God is going to grant you the peaceful rest you long for and will silence the noise in your head and heart.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Romans 12:18  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 

Much of this month has been spent discussing how we can live at peace with those around us, how we can find peace in the midst of the chaos of life, and how to rest in His peace. But what happens when we can’t control the actions of others and our life is still full of chaos and disorder? What do we do as believers if we face issues like that? How do we achieve peace in those situations?

In Romans 12:18 the Apostle Paul gave us the answer to those questions. If it is possible… IF. Not when. Paul told us that it is not going to be possible to live at peace with everyone at all times. Peace is not something we can achieve on our own. True peace takes two people to reach. But oftentimes we cannot control the response of another person or an enemy. 

But that does not mean we react in the same manner. We are told prior to this verse to hate evil and hold on to what is good (Romans 12:9). Paul the warns against responding in the same manner as others, instead instructing believers to do what is right (Romans 12:17).  We do not respond with retaliation but with love. We trust that God will handle the situation and will be just in His response (Romans 12:19). 

We have a responsibility to be the light to a dark world. We are to love everyone, to turn the other cheek, to respond in kindness and love (Romans 12:20). We are not to fight back. We must understand that our lives are living testimonies of God’s grace and love, and often the world does not see that except through our actions. Do you want your response to turn someone away from God or to Him?

We are called to clear our own records instead of responding with excuses that we are justified in our response. We need to drop our pride and let go of our bitterness and anger at how we are being treated. We are never to be the source of conflict. We are to do our part and as far as we are able, do what is right to reconcile and bring about resolution. Then we leave it in His hands and let Him do the rest.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Psalm 119:165  Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. 

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the book and the longest chapter in the Bible. It also falls at exactly the middle of the Bible. Each of the 22 stanzas of the chapter begin with the same Hebrew letter. Today’s verse falls under Shin, which is composed of verses 161-168. This section focuses on standing strong under pressure and finding peace in the law (God’s instruction, teaching, and truth, not just the Law or legal code), despite facing unfair persecution from others.

We see in this verse that having peace is dependent upon one thing - loving the law. Peace doesn’t just come to those who fear punishment so obey, but instead, it comes to those who seek the Lord and His will for their lives. But notice that it doesn’t just come to those who follow the law or seek the law. It comes to those that love the law. 

And when we love the law and seek His ways, nothing can make us stumble. In the context of the psalm from which our verse was drawn, the author spoke of his dislike of falsehood. He demonstrated a clear divide between worldly practices and the truth of God’s grace (Psalm 119:163). He praised God constantly (Psalm 119:164) and then waited on Him, actively obeying His commands (Psalm 119:166). His obedience stemmed from obedience and love and he received peace for it.

Today let’s pause and ask ourselves some deep questions. Really ponder these questions and be honest with yourself. 

Do you love God’s ways? Do you thrive in the peace and joy that His will for your life brings? Or are you fearful of judgement or condemnation? Are you simply playing the part of a faithful child but not really feeling it in your heart?

Spend some time in prayer today and talk to God about what you learned about yourself. Ask Him to help you to make the changes in your life to help you find peace and live your life for Him.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Isaiah 57:2  Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. 

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you know the peace that can come from walking in His ways and living a life for Him. There truly is peace in the Lord and His ways, and He is willing to fill us with it when we need it most. 

In Isaiah 57 we begin with comfort to believers from God that those who are taken early who lived a Godly life is a good thing. No one likes to talk about death and many fear it. But we see that God gives us some insight to help us better live a life of righteousness before death. The verse laments that those who are righteous die and society barely even notices. But verse 2, our verse for today, reassures us that those deaths mean peace and not tragedy. There is peace in death and it is not meant to be a woeful event but is actually an act of mercy as they are being spared from upcoming judgement or societal issues and evils. The chapter takes a sharp turn after that in verse 3, God confronts that unfaithful and idolatrous generation of Israelites that are left behind and severely rebukes them for their corruption and spiritual adultery. 

God removes His faithful servants before catastrophic judgment can occur, giving the righteous a peaceful refuge (the grave or "bed") far from disaster. This happens because we walk in uprighteousness or uprightness. It is the reward for living a righteous and holy life according to His will and not following the world. 

This is no more true then as it is today. We live in a world that is chaotic and full of evil and it seems to be getting worse daily. Each day there are new things that shock us and make us wonder how much more will God allow before He steps in? 

But we have the promise of this verse that even in the midst of a chaotic, evil world, if we remain in His will and live a life that is righteous and holy, He will give us peace. His peace will fill us when the world around us celebrates sin and evilness. His peace will comfort us both in life and in death, when we will experience the true peace and joy of being with the Lord forever.

So do not fear, friends. Do not lament the death of those righteous people who lived Godly, upright lives. Celebrate their lives, model your own in similar ways, and let God fill you with His peace. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

This morning I sat struggling with writing today’s devotion on the topic of peace. I found myself in a petty discussion online that robbed me of my peace. Realizing that it was going nowhere and recognizing that my heart was not in the right place, I decided to stop and focus on this devotion instead. And lo and behold, look at what God put before me. Today’s verse on striving for restoration, encouraging one another, being of one mind… all of the things I was NOT doing as I engaged in the petty back and forth.

The church of Corinth was plagued by struggles, as well. They experienced division, moral failure, and many challenged Paul’s authority, much the way my authority was being challenged online. But Paul did not choose to engage in argument or defending his position. Instead he encouraged them to mend their divisions and to encourage one another, to live in peace. He showed them that God’s peace and love would be with them.

Despite the difficulties and the circumstances leading to division within, Paul commanded them to rejoice (from the Greek word chairete which was used as a polite and respectful greeting). They were to be respectful and polite with one another, which brings with it unity and peace.

He also encouraged them to strive for full restoration. This Greek word, katartizesthe, had a literal meaning of mending nets or setting broken bones. It was an appeal to the church to correct the flaws within, to repair the community that had fractured or been severed by discord, and to restore the spiritual maturity of the members.

He then commanded them to encourage one another, to be of one mind, and to live in peace. Believers were to build each other up while maintaining harmony and community. They were to avoid pettiness and worldly fracturing within the Body.

Today my heart has been humbled. God used today’s verse to show me where I was failing to show His love to others. I was not being of one mind, one Body. I was letting my own pride and my need to prove myself and my way get in the way of true fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. And it was stealing my joy and peace, as well as disrupting the peace and harmony within our community.

I echo Paul’s prayer that God’s love and peace be with each of you.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Ephesians 6:15 …and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

We often hear about the Armor of God and have probably all heard a sermon or two on the various pieces combined to help us defend against spiritual warfare in our lives. But how closely have you looked at individual pieces? Today we examine the 2nd piece of Armor, the feet and the peace that we can experience from them.

Why do we wear shoes? The obvious answer - to protect our feet and allow us to walk farther than if our feet were bare. They provide us with stability and mobility. Some shoes have more purpose than just protection. For example, my daughter has Cerebral Palsy so has to wear special braces and shoes that are designed to help correct her walk and to keep her from stumbling. Some people use special shoes to ease discomfort or to correct things somehow.

Paul draws our attention to the shoes of the Roman soldiers when speaking of equipping our feet. Roman soldiers wore shoes that were heavy duty and studded, designed for traction and endurance. These were called caligae. These heavy-duty sandals were like the boots of today’s soldiers. They kept them from losing their footing in battle and anchored them so that they could stand strong against their opponents. And soldiers properly attired were ready for battle.

We can say the same thing about the Armor of God. We equip our feet to prepare us to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy, to prepare for spiritual warfare. Our feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace, the firm foundation and complete peace that comes from God alone. And this anchors us so that we cannot be shaken by the trials and challenges of life, by doubts and fear, or by temptation. It also prepares us so that we are always ready to share the good news (the Gospel of Christ) with other people, prepared in season and out of season to give an answer when asked about our hope and joy.

The peace we have begins as an inward feeling, a peace deep within us through Jesus and His grace, but grows into something more. It becomes the foundation upon which we stand. His peace becomes our defensive protection. And it spreads to others because our peace and joy are evident for all to see and we are prepared to share it with others.

What about your feet? Are you putting on the proper footwear to step into your day? Are you equipping yourself with feet that are ready to face anything because they are clad in His peace?

After today, you might look at your daily, spiritual footwear differently.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Isaiah 48:22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

Chapter 48 in the book of Isaiah is written to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon. In the chapter, God reminded them of their past rebellious acts, lamenting the fact that had they just heeded His warnings they’d have experienced peace like a river (Isaiah 48:17-18). It is not that He did not want peace for His people. He did, just as He desires peace for us today. But when we live a life of rebellion and sin, we separate ourselves from Him because He is holy and righteous.

Despite their rebellion and refusal to listen, He still loved them and still provided hope in the midst of their exile. He promised to redeem and deliver them. They would eventually leave Babylon and return to their homeland. They needed their hearts to be right with Him, though.

Verse 22 serves as a stark reminder that there are consequences for disobedience and rebellion. Though He promised deliverance of the faithful, He made certain that they understood that those who still refused to submit to His ways would not experience peace and wholeness. True shalom is tied to our obedience and the relationship we have with Him.

The wicked, those who refused to submit and persisted in their rebellious beliefs and practices, experienced the promised deliverance and returned to their homes, but they remained in restless spiritual turmoil and still faced judgement for their hearts. There is no peace for people who go against His will.

Genuine peace, the true peace that results in spiritual fruit, comes only to those who trust and follow God. A life that is separate from Him, a life of rebellion and sin, will always experience inward restlessness, corruption, and turmoil. Peace is not obtained by self-help techniques or books, it is not found in asking others to pray for you. It is only found in Him. We must repent, realign our hearts and behaviors with His Word, and then we can experience the reconciliation and renewal that comes from Christ alone.


#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

James 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. 

Do you consider yourself to be a peacemaker or someone who sits by and silently observes, choosing to remain separate? Today we look at the peacemakers and what they gain from getting involved. We find ourselves in the book of James where we see the outcome of our efforts when we become a peacemaker.

In the passage leading up to verse 18, we see that James contrasted different types of wisdom - earthly vs heavenly. Verse 18 serves as the conclusion to the passage, informing readers that operating in heavenly wisdom that is peaceful produces results that are what James called a harvest of righteousness. But what exactly does all of that mean and how do we apply it in our own lives today?

When we choose to take action by resolving conflicts by being peaceful, gentle, merciful, etc., we create an environment where a God-honoring life can grow. Righteousness becomes the byproduct of our efforts. If we choose to live a life that is selfish or where we try to gain things through fighting, spiritual maturity does not happen. It cannot take root and grow. But someone who sows in peace, who chooses to actively pursue peacemaking with the people in their lives and community, those people reap a harvest of righteousness or experience a life that is Godly and morally just.

To put it another way, we can view peace as the soil in which we plant. It must be rich and fertile for spiritual things like righteousness to grow. We cannot achieve a harvest without a soil that is properly prepared. Just like the farmer who needs proper soil to plant crops in, righteousness cannot thrive in an atmosphere of chaos or bitterness. 

There are things we can do to help be peacemakers and reap a harvest of righteousness. We can choose to be active participants. Instead of letting arguments escalate and disrupt the peace, choose to help bring about reconciliation and create harmony. When we find ourselves in the midst of a disagreement with others, choose to let go of things that may be self-seeking or selfish. We should try to approach disagreements with purity, gentleness, mercy, and sincerity (James 3:17).

And over everything we need to give it to God. Turn to Him, trusting that He will bring about peace and reconciliation in the circumstances you find yourself. Commit everything to prayer and let the Spirit guide you in a manner that is loving and peaceful.

Today let’s look for opportunities to cultivate peace in our lives. Let’s examine our motives and behaviors and choose peace over all else. 

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

Over the past year many of the devotions I have written have included this verse. We have looked at each virtue separately, depending upon the theme for that month. And today we look at it again, this time focusing on peace.

All of the virtues collectively are called the fruit of the Spirit. They are not fruits, plural. Together they are one fruit. And that fruit comes from and through the Holy Spirit. This fruit is produced naturally in believers who make the effort to stay connected to their faith and grow through His grace. These qualities also reflect God’s character. And they cannot be produced individually on their own. Anything that we produce on our own is nothing compared to that which the Spirit gives. Jesus told us He does not give as the world gives (John 14:27). What He gives is so much more, so much better, more valuable than anything we can imagine or experience.

The Greek word used for peace is once again eirene which we have learned about numerous times. The peace we experience within the fruit of the Spirit is more than just an absence of conflict or trouble. It is a completeness, wholeness, and well-being with God and others. This peace is a calm assurance that remains steady during life's challenges because we know Who we rely on and Who is faithful to bring us through those challenges.

One author put it this way: “When a person is dominated by eirene (“peace”), he has a calm, inner stability that results in the ability to conduct himself peacefully, even in the midst of circumstances that would normally be very nerve-racking, traumatic, or upsetting.” (https://renner.org/article/joy-and-peace/)

Isn’t that comforting? We can go about our business knowing that God’s peace rules in our lives. As long as we remain in Him, we can be filled with His fruit of peace. It doesn’t matter how chaotic life may get, His peace will dominate as long as we remember to seek Him.

Today let’s walk into our day filled with peace. Ask God to bless you with the fruit of peace in every situation and circumstance you encounter today. And don’t forget to thank Him for being the peace in the midst of uncertainty and chaos.

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse

Romans 3:17 “…and the way of peace they do not know.”

We are a sin-filled people, desperately in need of a Savior. And sin separates us from Him. It steals our joy, destroys our hope, and leaves us in a state of unrest. We lack peace when we are caught in the clutches of sin. The first three chapters of the book of Romans show us just how depraved and in need of saving we truly are.

It is from that context that we find today’s verse. It quotes Isaiah 59:7-8 and emphasizes the point that if we do not have God in our lives, we are destructive and incapable of finding true peace or spiritual well-being. It is impossible without Him because He is peace. Isaiah had condemned Israel for their injustice and their rejection of God and His ways. Paul used this to point out how humanity is clueless in finding the way of peace.

What is the way of peace?

Not only is this a peace with God through reconciliation and redemption, but it is also peace with others and a sense of true, inner contentment. It is not just the absence of conflict. It is so much more. We have already explored the meaning of shalom (Hebrew for peace) and eirene (Greek for peace) in previous devotions. These embody a state of complete harmony, well-being, and restoration across all creation, one that is centered on a right relationship with God. It is this peace that we are unable to find, unable to replicate, unable to create on our own.

It is a very bleak, hopeless message. Living without a relationship with God leaves us wandering about in utter misery and depravity. We live a life of hopelessness and conflict.

But we have hope! The book of Romans goes on to show how we are saved and the path to true peace (shalom) and security - through faith in Jesus. We must recognize our need for God and the fact that we cannot make true peace on our own. It is given to us through His grace. And we need to believe that we are deserving of shalom in our life.

We need to lean on the Spirit to help guide us in our interactions with others, helping us to react not with pride, anger, selfishness, or other worldly reactions, but with the love of God to help us bridge the gap in cases of disagreement, allowing us to live in peace with others.

What can you do today to embrace the peace of God? How can you usher in a true sense of shalom in your current lifestyle?

#TEENS4JESUS #devotion #dailydevotional #christianteens #DailyBibleVerse